Scotland will be in a four-team World Cup qualifying group for the 2026 tournament when the draw takes place next month – and CAN’T face the Auld Enemy England.
Steve Clarke has two draws to look forward to in the run up to Christmas. And neither look likely to provide any gifts. The Tartan Army roared on the Scots to an outstanding last minute win in Poland in the Nations League. But the cushion of Pot 2 for the World Cup qualifying draw was snatched away by results elsewhere. The 2026 World Cup may seem an eternity away but the wheels are already in motion for the competition qualifiers now that the Nations League group phase has ended.
A total of 16 UEFA nations will compete at the 48-team FIFA World Cup finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States. The finals will be staged across 16 cities with the final held in New York City on July 19, 2026. The seeding for this edition of World Cup qualifying is different from previous versions, as it is weighted (at the top at least) more in favour of the Nations League. If you’re still with us, here’s more of what you need to know regarding Scotland’s potential journey to the biggest World Cup yet, and how England will NOT be drawn in the same group as the Scots.
Record Sport explains the details:
When is the 2026 World Cup qualifyingdraw?
The draw for European teams will be held at FIFA’s headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland on December 13, 2024. The draw will begin at 11am UK time (accompanied by the usual FIFA pageantry).
What pot will Scotland be in for the draw and how does it work?
Scotland will be in Pot 3 for the draw having narrowly missed out on Pot 2 despite victory in Poland. But, to further confuse things, the Nations League play-offs, which Scotland will be involved in, take place in March 2025. Only when those fixtures are completed will the full line-up of some groups be finalised. Teams will be drawn into one of six groups of four or six groups of five. Teams will play each other home and away. Teams drawn in groups of five will start qualifying in March and teams drawn in groups of four start their campaigns in September. All groups will conclude in November 2025.
World Cup 2026 Qualifying Pots IN FULL
Pot 1
- England (in 5 team group)
- Switzerland (in 5 team group)
- Spain
- Portugal
- Germany
- France
- Italy
- Netherlands
- Denmark
- Croatia
- Belgium
- Austria
Pot 2
- Ukraine
- Turkey
- Sweden
- Wales
- Hungary
- Serbia
- Poland
- Greece
- Romania
- Norway
- Slovakia
- Czech Republic
Pot 3
- SCOTLAND
- Slovenia
- Republic of Ireland
- Albania
- North Macedonia
- Georgia
- Finland
- Iceland
- Northern Ireland
- Israel
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Montenegro
Pot 4
- Bulgaria
- Luxembourg
- Kosovo
- Belarus
- Armenia
- Kazakhstan
- Azerbaijan
- Estonia
- Cyprus
- Faroe Islands
- Latvia
- Lithuania
Pot 5
- Moldova
- Malta
- Andorra
- Gibraltar
- Liechtenstein
- San Marino
Due to the complex conditions of the draw and the Nations League play-offs, Scotland can only be drawn into a four-team group. The restriction arises as the four and five team groups depend on the number of teams in each pot who needed a QF/playoff. As the number is lower than six in pots 2, 3 and 4, it can now be confirmed they will definitely be in a group of four.
Ten of the 12 teams in Pot 1 are involved in the March Nations League fixtures. However there are only six groups of four – all of which kick-off in September, as opposed to March. That means four Pot 1 QF/playoff teams must be in a group of five, along with England and Switzerland. The 4 “QF winners” automatically get a group of four. As both England and Switzerland are not involved in the March Nations League games, they automatically head into a group of five. Therefore there is no Auld Enemy for the Scots. However we could still draw the big boys including, Spain, France, Germany, Italy and The Netherlands.
The fact four Pot 1 teams will currently be pencilled in for BOTH Nations League games and World Cup qualifiers in March will be a problem UEFA and FIFA desperately need to resolve. More information to follow as we get it.
When will the qualifying campaign start?
The five-team groups are set to start their campaign on March 21-22. Scotland’s four-team group campaign starts September 4-6 with the second fixture to take place on September 7-9. Teams will play each other home and away. Teams drawn in groups of five will start Qualifying in March and teams drawn in groups of four start their campaigns in September. All groups conclude in November 2025.
Key dates for your 2025/26 diary
Get your notepads out. Key: Groups of five (G5) and groups of four (G4)
Group Stage
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March 21-22: Matchday 1 (G5)
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March 24-25: Matchday 2 (G5)
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June 6-7: Matchday 3 (G5)
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June 9-10: Matchday 4 (G5)
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September 4-6: Matchday 5 (G5) / Matchday 1 (G4)
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September 7-9: Matchday 6 (G5) / Matchday 2 (G4)
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October 9-11: Matchday 7 (G5) / Matchday 3 (G4)
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October 12-14: Matchday 8 (G5) / Matchday 4 (G4)
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November 13-15: Matchday 9 (G5) / Matchday 5 (G4)
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November 16-18: Matchday 10 (G5) / Matchday 6 (G4)
What happens at the end of World Cup qualifying?
A total of 16 UEFA nations will qualify for the 2026 World Cup. The 12 group winners qualify directly, with the four remaining berths determined by play-offs involving the 12 group runners-up. Sixteen teams (12 group runners-up and the four best Nations League group winners who didn’t win their qualifying group) will then enter a second phase of fixtures. The semi-finals take place on March 26, 2026 and the final on March 31, 2026. Four countries will qualify via these play-offs.
Play-offs
- March 26, 2026: Semi-finals
- March 31, 2026: Finals
Where can I keep up with the latest details?
You can keep up with all the action right here on dailyrecord.co.uk! We’ll be running a live blog with all the build-up, breaking news, and all the groups once the draw gets underway.
After the draw, we’ll have all the reaction from managers, players, pundits and a whole lot more.